Wednesday, November 27, 2013
TV
It seems tv is loosing out to the computer for peoples entertainment, well hardly a surprise is it. I have about a 100 channels or so, yet I'm still struggling to find something to watch a lot of the time, the problem is simple, the newer shows are mostly 'reality' tv (cheap) and the rest are mostly 1970-1980s era shows that we've all seen and thought were crap 30 years ago. That coupled with nearly as much time on adverts as programs means people simply give up and watch stuff on the computer.
Monday, November 25, 2013
Dr Who 50 years
Happy 50th anniversary to the Dr Who TV series. The series which started in 1963 with William Hartnell as the Doctor and also stared Carol Ann Ford as the Doctors granddaughter Susan Foreman, Jacqueline Hill as Barbara Wright one of her teachers and William Russel as Ian Chesterton another teacher.
The 50th anniversary special featured 4 of the doctors and for me the best bit was the closing moments which showed all 12 doctors.
Thanks for 50 years of entertainment all of you.
The 50th anniversary special featured 4 of the doctors and for me the best bit was the closing moments which showed all 12 doctors.
Thanks for 50 years of entertainment all of you.
Sunday, November 24, 2013
Films that should never have been made.
Air Force One. Or air farce one as it's known by most, why Harrison Ford made this garbage is beyond me, he really must have needed the money. The film is cheesy and corny in the extreme. Lets face it the secret service let the terrorists board air force one then only the president can fight them off, what a joke, some of them can only just tie their own shoelaces.
Rambo 2-3-4-ect While the original film First Blood was passable and well filmed, the follow ups were terrible. Obviously some bright spark had the idea 'well we've got Rambo, what about having him rescue pows.fight Russia/ etc etc etc' the trouble is they were badly filmed, had no real plot and Stallone isn't what most people would call a good actor.
All horror films made in almost total darkness. Why for God's sake? I know the idea is the characters can't see the bad guy coming, but then neither can the bloody audience, so it's not very scary as we can't work out whats happening.
Rambo 2-3-4-ect While the original film First Blood was passable and well filmed, the follow ups were terrible. Obviously some bright spark had the idea 'well we've got Rambo, what about having him rescue pows.fight Russia/ etc etc etc' the trouble is they were badly filmed, had no real plot and Stallone isn't what most people would call a good actor.
All horror films made in almost total darkness. Why for God's sake? I know the idea is the characters can't see the bad guy coming, but then neither can the bloody audience, so it's not very scary as we can't work out whats happening.
Thursday, November 14, 2013
Some news.
Cycling. It seems that five cyclists have died in London in the last nine days. Sadly I don't think theres an answer, the fact is today's modern traffic and our old narrow road layouts are just unsuitable for cyclists. I have been a keen cyclist myself, sadly my health stops me now. But when I was cycling it was always a gamble, traffic simply won't give way to cyclists who it feels are holding them up, and cyclists can't keep up with road speeds easily either.
Separate cycle lanes work up to a point, but the problem with those is many don't follow the normal road and go miles out of the way. Worse are the road marked cycle lanes, what a joke! Traffic simply drives over the lanes (often shared by buses and taxis) then theres the road junctions that cross them anyway, traffic turning simply will not give way to a cyclist.
Acid seas. It seems the global warming gang have now decided that as the earth isn't actually warming (not in the last 15 years anyway) but that our emissions are now turning the seas acid instead of warming the world up.
Now a few things strike me, first off how come it took these Einstein's 15 years to notice global warming was a load of crap (something most of us knew anyway) and secondly what made them think of checking the acid levels in the sea instead? To be honest it sounds like a lot of people trying desperately to justify their jobs and grants. This is now the NEW excuse for pollutions tax's, then in 15-20 years it'll come out this was a load of bull droppings too and it'll change to something else. Give it guys and start telling the truth.
Public transport. The government and bus companies are getting concerned by the number of people using their cars instead of buses.... Have any of these people actually tried going anywhere by bus recently? It's a farce. My local town is about 2.5 miles from where I live, not far, a reasonable fit person can walk that in about 35 minutes without killing himself. Yet the bus takes 40 minutes to get there. Why? Because the bus goes around miles of side streets and through estates. Where before each area had a bus direct to town, now the one bus goes everywhere, trouble is this means it's painfully slow.
Now in my car I can go to town, pay a bill and grab a bit of shopping and still be home in about an hour, on the bus the same trip means I end up waiting for the bus, rushing to do my shopping (so I don't miss the bus back) and still takes the best part of 3 bloody hours. Madness!
For public transport to work it has to be
A cheap
B regular (not one an hour but 4 or 8 an hour)
C reliable (ours turn up if they feel like)
Sadly most public transport is anything but any of those above.
Separate cycle lanes work up to a point, but the problem with those is many don't follow the normal road and go miles out of the way. Worse are the road marked cycle lanes, what a joke! Traffic simply drives over the lanes (often shared by buses and taxis) then theres the road junctions that cross them anyway, traffic turning simply will not give way to a cyclist.
Acid seas. It seems the global warming gang have now decided that as the earth isn't actually warming (not in the last 15 years anyway) but that our emissions are now turning the seas acid instead of warming the world up.
Now a few things strike me, first off how come it took these Einstein's 15 years to notice global warming was a load of crap (something most of us knew anyway) and secondly what made them think of checking the acid levels in the sea instead? To be honest it sounds like a lot of people trying desperately to justify their jobs and grants. This is now the NEW excuse for pollutions tax's, then in 15-20 years it'll come out this was a load of bull droppings too and it'll change to something else. Give it guys and start telling the truth.
Public transport. The government and bus companies are getting concerned by the number of people using their cars instead of buses.... Have any of these people actually tried going anywhere by bus recently? It's a farce. My local town is about 2.5 miles from where I live, not far, a reasonable fit person can walk that in about 35 minutes without killing himself. Yet the bus takes 40 minutes to get there. Why? Because the bus goes around miles of side streets and through estates. Where before each area had a bus direct to town, now the one bus goes everywhere, trouble is this means it's painfully slow.
Now in my car I can go to town, pay a bill and grab a bit of shopping and still be home in about an hour, on the bus the same trip means I end up waiting for the bus, rushing to do my shopping (so I don't miss the bus back) and still takes the best part of 3 bloody hours. Madness!
For public transport to work it has to be
A cheap
B regular (not one an hour but 4 or 8 an hour)
C reliable (ours turn up if they feel like)
Sadly most public transport is anything but any of those above.
Monday, November 11, 2013
Football club
As a favor I was supposed to be shooting part of a calendar for a local football club, anyway it never happened so I ended up shooting some pics to pass the time. here they are.
The Worlds End (film review)
Simon Pegg and Nick Frost star is this outing. the plot is 5 friends reunite to finish a drinking challenge they failed in their youth, but things have changed over the years, the friends are not the same and neither is their old town, locals are acting strangely, will they finish their quest.... Watch and see.
A bit slow at the start, but the film get into it's pace and things start happening.
Waynes rating 7/10 worth a watch
A bit slow at the start, but the film get into it's pace and things start happening.
Waynes rating 7/10 worth a watch
Saturday, November 9, 2013
Royal marine found guilty of murder.
A Royal Marine Sergent has been found guilty of killing an Afghan insurgent and faces a life sentence, the wounded man was allegedly killed after being wounded in an exchange of fire.
I was very saddened by this report. First off surely the whole point of our soldiers being there is to keep the peace (a policeman's job really) and kill our enemy. Secondly you have to remember this has happened after an exchange of fire, the man killed was trying to kill our troops shortly before, if the situation had been reversed our soldiers would have received no quarter from the Afghan insurgents.
But lastly the real reason I'm saddened is because we always have to fight our wars with one hand tied behind our back and a copy of the marquess of queensberry rules under the other arm It's time we stared to fight wars like the rest of the world, not like to two 'chaps' in a gentleman's club sorting out a ladies honour. If we're going to go to war (and don't call it a stupid peace keeping action, it's not bringing any peace I can see) then lets bloody go for it, bomb the hell out of the beggars and then use guerrilla tactics like they do, plant our own IED's, see how long they last then. It's a bloody war remember!
I was very saddened by this report. First off surely the whole point of our soldiers being there is to keep the peace (a policeman's job really) and kill our enemy. Secondly you have to remember this has happened after an exchange of fire, the man killed was trying to kill our troops shortly before, if the situation had been reversed our soldiers would have received no quarter from the Afghan insurgents.
But lastly the real reason I'm saddened is because we always have to fight our wars with one hand tied behind our back and a copy of the marquess of queensberry rules under the other arm It's time we stared to fight wars like the rest of the world, not like to two 'chaps' in a gentleman's club sorting out a ladies honour. If we're going to go to war (and don't call it a stupid peace keeping action, it's not bringing any peace I can see) then lets bloody go for it, bomb the hell out of the beggars and then use guerrilla tactics like they do, plant our own IED's, see how long they last then. It's a bloody war remember!
Wednesday, November 6, 2013
Choosing a wedding photographer.
Some advice for those choosing a wedding photographer (from a wedding photographer)
1. Look at some work they have done, this really is vital! Try and see a full wedding, not just a few shots from each of half a dozen, it's easy enough to get one of two good shots, much harder to keep the standard up for the whole wedding.
2. Dont book on price alone, all too often I've seen photographers booked because they are the cheapest, look at the quality of their work as well Price isn't a good guide of quality either, just because the photographer is dearest doesn't mean they are best, theres good cheap photographers as well, thats why you must chect the quality.
3. Find out what plans the photographer has for things like a camera failing (it does happen) a decent photographer will have a back-up camera and lens, if they look baffled when you ask walk away. Also ask what they'll do if it rains, now this can be tricky, some like me carry studio lights to shoot indoors, but this isn't always the answer, some venues simply don't have any room to set up a studio.
4. Don't choose a photographer by his/her style then give them a list of photos (sometimes with pictures) and ask them to copy those, if you like the other pics book the photographer who took them.
5. Please please book a photographer who actually does wedding, don't use uncle Bob just because he has a good camera. You can buy an F1 car but it doesn't make you an F1 driver does it!. Remember the cameras just a tool, it's the photographers skill your booking, uncle Bob may be great at taking landscapes but a wedding is different.
6. Don't use one of those stupid lists from the bridal magizines telling you questions to ask your wedding photographer, I've seen a few and most of the questions are pointless and won't help you decide. Look at the quality of his/her work, talk to them, see if you get on, remember your spending most of the day with them.
Finally remember, after the wedding the only things you'll have left is the dress and the photos/video, don't spend more of the cake or flowers, they are gone by the end of the day. If your on a budget cut the chocolate fountain or sweet trolly, or something, don't try to save on the photographer then wonder why your wedding pics are crap.
1. Look at some work they have done, this really is vital! Try and see a full wedding, not just a few shots from each of half a dozen, it's easy enough to get one of two good shots, much harder to keep the standard up for the whole wedding.
2. Dont book on price alone, all too often I've seen photographers booked because they are the cheapest, look at the quality of their work as well Price isn't a good guide of quality either, just because the photographer is dearest doesn't mean they are best, theres good cheap photographers as well, thats why you must chect the quality.
3. Find out what plans the photographer has for things like a camera failing (it does happen) a decent photographer will have a back-up camera and lens, if they look baffled when you ask walk away. Also ask what they'll do if it rains, now this can be tricky, some like me carry studio lights to shoot indoors, but this isn't always the answer, some venues simply don't have any room to set up a studio.
4. Don't choose a photographer by his/her style then give them a list of photos (sometimes with pictures) and ask them to copy those, if you like the other pics book the photographer who took them.
5. Please please book a photographer who actually does wedding, don't use uncle Bob just because he has a good camera. You can buy an F1 car but it doesn't make you an F1 driver does it!. Remember the cameras just a tool, it's the photographers skill your booking, uncle Bob may be great at taking landscapes but a wedding is different.
6. Don't use one of those stupid lists from the bridal magizines telling you questions to ask your wedding photographer, I've seen a few and most of the questions are pointless and won't help you decide. Look at the quality of his/her work, talk to them, see if you get on, remember your spending most of the day with them.
Finally remember, after the wedding the only things you'll have left is the dress and the photos/video, don't spend more of the cake or flowers, they are gone by the end of the day. If your on a budget cut the chocolate fountain or sweet trolly, or something, don't try to save on the photographer then wonder why your wedding pics are crap.
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